What I Know No Trial Can Shake
When God opens the window of revelation, the light that shines in brings the strength to stand.
Devotional Credit:
“Open Windows” by T. Austin-Sparks — from The Cross and the City of God, Chapter 4
Photo Credit:
Image by Unsplash
T. Austin-Sparks reminds us that the kind of strength we need to endure suffering and spiritual warfare does not come through human wisdom or even the study of truth alone. It comes by revelation—a Spirit-given knowing that is birthed in our inner man, not in our intellect. Paul declared this in Galatians 1:12: that he received his message not from men but from Christ Himself. This kind of experiential knowledge—“I know”—stands unshaken in the face of adversity.
The enemy fights hardest not against activity, but against revelation. He seeks to block the light, because when the eyes of our hearts are enlightened, we are infused with the might of God. Sparks explains that endurance is rooted in this inward knowing. Revelation is not simply about theological insight; it is about being spiritually strengthened to apprehend—grasping something so real in Christ that it grounds us when trials press in.
This illumination is ongoing. Even the Ephesian believers, who had already received much from Paul and walked faithfully, needed more. They were urged to receive strength from the Spirit so that they could apprehend God’s truth more deeply. Why? Because the opposition they faced was fierce—and only divine light brings divine might.
As Sparks states, “Light and strength go together.” We rise above suffering not by escaping it, but by the indwelling life of Christ pressing upward within us. Revelation becomes a settled knowing that Christ in us has already overcome, and that nothing the enemy devises can separate us from what is known deep in our spirit: He is enough.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My child, I have not left you to face life in your own wisdom, nor called you to draw from secondhand faith. What I long to give you is My own Life, expressed within you moment by moment. I do not merely inform; I illuminate. I open the eyes of your heart so that you may know Me—not merely as a doctrine, but as a living presence, faithful and indwelling.
You were not born again by man's wisdom, and you will not stand by man's strength. The trials you face are not evidence of My absence, but opportunities for you to draw from My resurrection power. The enemy will resist this revelation at every turn. He fears the Light. He trembles when you know—deeply know—that I am alive in you, that I have overcome, and that I now live through you.
So when sorrow presses in or hardship casts its shadow, remember: you are not walking toward victory; you are walking in the One who is victory. When you feel worn down, I do not ask you to fight harder—I invite you to see clearer. I invite you to know. My grace is not an idea. My presence is not a mood. I am your Life, and I reveal Myself within your spirit, where no thief can reach and no storm can shake.
Live from this knowing. Let it be your anchor and your song. I raised Jesus from the grave, and I have raised you with Him. What I have opened your eyes to see, I will sustain by My strength. And what you know of Me—no darkness can take.
Scripture references: Galatians 1:12; Ephesians 1:17–20; 2 Corinthians 4:14; Romans 8:11; 2 Corinthians 4:6; John 14:26; Colossians 1:27; Philippians 3:10; 1 John 2:20–21, 27; Romans 5:5; Isaiah 30:15; Psalm 119:130; 2 Timothy 1:12; Romans 8:37–39
Real-Life Analogy
There’s a kind of peace that settles in when you’ve learned a skill by experience—like riding a bike. At first, you wobble and guess your way through it. But once it becomes part of you, even years later, you don’t have to think your way through it—you know. It’s no longer theory; it’s life.
That’s how the indwelling Christ lives in you. In your earliest days of faith, you might have leaned on secondhand truths—things you read, heard, or repeated. But now, as you’ve experienced Him carrying you through real sorrow, uncertainty, or opposition, you know. He has revealed Himself within. And that knowing stabilizes your soul in the midst of trial.
If today brings pressure, instead of scrambling for answers or strength, take a quiet breath and say, “Lord, You have already given me Your life. I trust You to be my peace, my strength, and my wisdom in this moment. Live through me.” Then carry that inward knowing into your next task—whether it’s a hard conversation, a lonely place, or a busy afternoon. You’re not riding alone anymore.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You for the unshakable knowing that You have placed within me. What I once only heard, I now know—Christ in me, the hope of glory. I rejoice that You’ve opened my eyes and given me light that leads to might. I rest in the finished work of Jesus and the ongoing revelation of His indwelling life. No storm or shadow can undo what You’ve revealed within me. You are my Light and my Strength—and You will never stop being both. Amen.